


When Life Goes Right

by Aerilon452



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Between Time Jump, F/M, Family Breakfast, Fluff, Post Rick's "Death", Steamy Night, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 05:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16570424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: It's hot summer night in the Kingdom and the King tries to help his Queen cool down.





	When Life Goes Right

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story going in one direction, but then the idea took another turn! I hope you enjoy it!

It was a hot summer night in the Kingdom. The windows were open letting in the light breeze while a fan kept the air moving. Carol stood by the open window wearing nothing more than a thin strapped camisole and a pair of underwear. She could feel beads of sweat rolling down her spine. Her hand moved back and forth in a futile effort to cool her face. “I hate summer…” Carol muttered. 

“But you look incredible trying to cool off.” 

Carol turned to see Ezekiel standing in the open doorway of their bedroom. He was carrying a basin with a washcloth hanging on the side. “What are you doing?” she asked with a small smirk gracing her lips. Every time she saw him, her heart sipped a beat. She was still amazed by how much she loved him.

Ezekiel pushed the door closed with his heel before going over to her. “I thought I would help cool you down on this hot summer night,” he answered. On this night, he had his dreads interwoven so they were swept up and off of his neck. He was bare chested and wearing a pair of shorts. There wasn’t a soul safe behind the walls of the Kingdom who wasn’t clad in as few clothes as they could get away with.

“You’re not off to a good start,” Carol quipped. She always reacted to him on such a primal level, feeling hungers being stirred that she hadn’t had in a long while. Having him standing before her in just a pair of khaki shorts was something she appreciated very much.

“Perhaps I should rectify that,” Ezekiel replied wickedly. 

“I don’t think you can,” Carol challenged, winking at him. 

Ezekiel nodded, accepting the gauntlet she had just thrown down. Standing with just inches between them, he set the basin on the side board, and dipped the cloth into the water. He twisted the material to wring out most of the water. Lifting it up, he barely touched the hollow of her throat before he slid it down her skin. Ezekiel could feel the heat of her body soaking into the cloth. 

Carol shuddered in pleasure. The cool touch of the wash rag was simply divine. She turned around, giving Ezekiel a new area of heated skin to focus on. Not being able to see what he was going to do made this experience more intense, and heightened the pleasure already racing through her body. Coolness touched the back of her neck and she gasped. A droplet of cold water slid down her spine. 

Ezekiel watched the roll of the water trickle down Carol’s back. He licked his lips, wishing he could follow the trail with the tip of his tongue. Stepping in close to her, he brought the cloth up and squeezed. Water trickled down the front of her, soaking into the light grey fabric of her camisole. He reached around her, so he could pull the wet fabric up and off her body.

Carol shivered in response. He didn’t wait. She moaned when the cool cloth touched her abdomen. Little water droplets slid down her skin, soaking into the waistband on her underwear. Unfortunately, his hand didn’t follow. Instead, he traveled up and touched the underside of her left breast. Carol bit her bottom lip, moaning again, as the swirling air of the fan whispered against her skin. It did nothing to cool her down. 

Ezekiel brought the cloth up, trailing a wet path up through the valley between her breasts. He could feel her shuddering. Unable to resist any longer, he leaned into her, and placed a kiss to the nape of her neck. It was just the barest hint of a kiss, but it was enough to give him a taste of the sweat on her skin. Ezekiel loved the taste of her. With his lips still pressed to her neck, he brought the cloth higher up to trace a wet trail along her right collar bone. 

Carol exhaled a shuddering breath, reaching back to touch him. Her hands resting on his hips, her fingers digging into the olive khaki material. For a moment, she debated pulling him closer to her, but she didn’t want him to stop. “You know you’re not cooling me off, right?” she asked wryly. 

“I’m not?” Ezekiel whispered against her neck, laughing lightly. 

“Nope,” Carol confirmed with a moan. 

Ezekiel took the cloth and dipped it into the water again. As he was about to wring it out, she stopped him, taking the cloth out of his hand. He didn’t need to ask what she was doing. He knew. She was going to give him equal attention. In the low of the full moon shining in through the open windows, he could see her pale skin glowing, and the desire evident in her body. He loved that he could share in that desire with her.

Carol touched the wet rag to the back of his neck. Immediately, he closed his eyes, tipped his head back, and sighed. A single drop of water rolled down over his shoulder, and she couldn’t help herself. She leaned into him this time, the tip of her tongue catching the water drop, and following it back up towards his shoulder. Ezekiel moaned. When she pulled back, she could see his eyes were still closed, and his mouth was hanging open slightly. She started to slide the wash cloth down his chest when he stopped her, his hands gripping her wrists lightly. 

Ezekiel took her lips, kissing her deeply, passionately. When they were both breathless, he rested his forehead against hers. “Do you know I have a favorite spot on your body?” he asked moments before he kissed her again, then he knelt before her, and waited until she was looking at him.

Carol placed her hands on his strong shoulders trying to keep her balance. Ezekiel could always make her lose her composure and make her go weak in the knees. When she looked down at him, she replied, “Is that so, Your Majesty?” Two months since they were married. Two months since she had accepted the role of being the Queen. It was the best choice she had over made. 

“It is, Your Grace,” Ezekiel said with an amused grin. To show her, he brought his hand up and curled his fingers into the band of her underwear. He pulled the fabric down enough to expose the area of skin where hip met thigh. First, he rubbed the tip of his nose against her soft, supple flesh. She sighed, leaning into him. When he had the pleasure of witnessing her coming down from a pleasurable high, he would rub his thumb back and forth over her skin lightly.

The muscles in Carol’s lower stomach tightened, hunger racing through her system. She dug her fingers into his shoulders on reflex when she felt him press a kiss to his favorite spot. “Do you have any other favorite spots?” She wanted more of his kisses to her skin. She wanted her husband’s intimate attention. Part of her mind paused when she mentally referred to him as her husband. It didn’t make her afraid. It only made her want him more.

Ezekiel didn’t bother responding verbally. He showed her. His lips touched the expanse of skin just below her navel. Her body responded to him and all thoughts of cooling down fled his mind. He wanted to make his wife hotter than the summer night. While she was distracted, he dragged the thin cotton down her legs and helped her out of them. Then he stood up with his hands resting on her hips and asked, “Are you still interested in cooling off?”

“Not anymore,” Carol answered, dropping her hands to the waist band of his olive drab khaki shorts. She made quick work of freeing the button and lowering the zipper, so she could push them down, dropping them to the floor. All she wanted was to feel him close to her. She draped her arms over his shoulders once more, waiting for him to make the next move. He kissed her and the whole world faded away.

 

MORNING:

 

Ever since the war ended, Ezekiel, Carol, and Henry had fallen into a little ritual of sharing breakfast together. It was important, now more than ever, to share the small moments together. Rick’s passing had made that abundantly clear. The morning was cool enough that they could sit out in the garden. Ezekiel sat back watching his wife as she stared off into the distance. He could guess where her mind had wandered. The bridge. Rick Grimes dying to save them all. Without commenting on her state of distraction, he took her hand, leaning over to place a light kiss to her knuckles. 

Carol automatically smiled, looking at her husband as he kissed her hand. “I zoned out again?” she asked, glancing at her adopted son. Henry nodded as he munched on his toast. To give herself a minute to get her thoughts straight, she picked up her mug and took a sip of the warm tea. After that, she said, “I was thinking about that day....” 

“I know,” Ezekiel replied. He let go of her hand, so he could get up and stand behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders and he placed a kiss to the top of her head. “That day, I should have been by your side.”

Carol brought her hands up to cover his as she replied, “You were needed here with our people. I’m glad you didn’t have to see what happened.” She knew he would feel the loss of Rick as deeply as any of them, even though he had known the man for a shorter time. Ezekiel felt things deeply and often times wore his heart on his sleeve. It was what she loved about him. She leaned her head to the side, pressing her cheek against his hand.

Ezekiel dropped another kiss to the top of her head and then returned to his seat. He knew that when she was ready to talk about that day, she would. So, he simply resumed holding her hand while she sipped at her tea. It was then that he noticed Henry watching them intently. “Something you would like to say?” he asked, his voice light. 

“One day, I hope I get the chance to love someone like the way you love Carol,” Henry answered Ezekiel. After Ben died, he felt all alone, but that hadn’t been true. He had been adopted by the King, and a little while later by Carol as well. He had a family again. 

“And one day you will,” Carol said with a small smile. Every time she looked at Henry, she could see him growing into a strong, capable man with a good heart and an ability to survive. 

“But, don’t be in too much of a rush, enjoy the moments life gives you. Savor each one,” Ezekiel advised in a fatherly tone. He used every moment in his life to guide him in how best to love Carol in the way she deserved to be loved. Now, the way he treated his wife would make an impression on Henry. It would help him be a better man the one he loved when the time came. 

“When did you know you loved Carol?” Henry asked, genuinely curious as to what moment Ezekiel would pick.

“Hmmm…” Ezekiel sighed thoughtfully. He looked at Carol, who was staring back at him in rapt attention, waiting for his answer as well. There were many to chose from. The night he found her in the garden, preparing to run. Her return to the Kingdom after Benjamin’s death. And many more after that. “It has to be the night she returned to Hilltop after finding you out in the woods.” Then, they were sitting by a fire, and she was telling him about her daughter, about how she died. That night he knew he loved her and that he always would. They had a chance to make a life together when she returned to the Kingdom with them; with him. 

Henry sat back in his seat, nodding. That night he had been terrified, and all he could do was call out for help. Then, out of nowhere, Carol had come and killed the walkers trying to kill him. After that, he stopped drowning in anger he took off his armor and only carried his staff. He listened better to Ezekiel, and to Carol. He knew they were only trying to do what was best for him; like parents would. “What about you, Carol? When did you know?”

“Well….” Carol started to say, her eyes going immediately to Ezekiel. Like she had done to him, he looked at her with avid curiosity as to what she was going to say. Smiling, she gave her attention back to Henry. “Sometimes, it’s not about one defining moment. Its small moments stitched that matter just as much. His smile. His laugh. His sadness. All of it, the good and the bad, has helped me to fall in love with him.” She started to fall for him in the garden on the night she was going to make a run for it, but it had been too long, and she didn’t realize what it was she was feeling. Then the spark turned into a tiny ember when he showed up on her doorstep. After that, the flames only grew stronger the more they were together. 

Before Henry could ask any more questions, Jerry appeared, and that meant it was time for him to go to his morning classes. He got up, went to Ezekiel and hugged him, and then went to kiss Carol on the cheek. Then, taking his staff, he went to start his day. 

Ezekiel reached over and took Carol’s hand again. The world may have ended but he was able to build a life and form a family out of the ashes. He had a wife he adored and a son he would do anything for. The world was less than ideal, but his life was perfect.

 

THE END.


End file.
